Masada – HerStory: The performance, 2018

Masada – HerStory, was inspired by the women survivors as described by Josephus Flavius in his Greek version of The Jewish War (75 CE).

Historical Background:

After the fall of Jerusalem and Judea to the Romans in 70 CE, the fortress of Masada remained the last rebels’ stronghold.

Following several months of siege, the rebels committed collective suicide in an ultimate gesture of freedom on the spring of 73 CE.

Not one living soul remained to fall into the hands of the Romans, or so believed the last fighter.

Yet “an old woman escaped, along with another who was related to Eleazar, in intelligence and education superior to most women, and five little children. They had hidden in the conduits that brought drinking-water underground while the rest were intent upon the suicide-pact.”

Further more, it was these women who conveyed the story to the Romans when they entered the fortress at dawn: “…Seeing no enemy, but dreadful solitude on every side, fire within, and silence, they were at a loss to guess what had happened…the noise came to the ears of the women, who emerged from the conduits and gave the Romans a detailed account of what had happened, the second of them providing a lucid report of Eleazar’s speech and the action that had followed.”

Josephus Flavius, Of the Jewish War, Book VII, Chap VIII

Masada – HerStory

This work inspired by the forgotten rebellion of two women against their leader, Elazar ben Yair was filmed at Masada, A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Judean Desert, Israel

Each of the 5 women relate in her own way to the story of these two women. And at sunset, like for the past thousands of years, Masada wrap herself in her cloak of mystery.